title: Public views on food addiction and obesity: implications for policy and treatment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  According to their advocates, neurobiological explanations of overeating, or "food addiction", have the potential to impact public understanding and treatment of obesity. In this study, we examine the public's acceptance of the concept of food addiction as an explanation of overeating and assess its effects upon their attitudes toward obese persons and the treatment of obesity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We conducted an online survey of 479 adults from the US (n = 215) and Australia (n = 264). There was substantial support for the idea of food addiction, particularly among obese participants. Over half favoured treating obesity as a type of addiction. Psychotherapy was believed to be the most effective treatment and educational and support programs were the preferred policies to address food addiction. There was very little support for increasing taxes on obesogenic foods. Despite the strong support for seeing obesity as a form of addiction, respondents still saw obesity as primarily the result of personal choices and emphasized the need for individuals to take responsibility for their eating.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our sample of the general public strongly supported the idea of obesity as a form of food addiction; but this did not translate into support of clinical and public health policies that experts believe are most likely to reduce the prevalence of obesity. The reasons for the apparent disjunction between support for food addiction and a strong emphasis on personal choice for weight warrant further examination.
authors.affiliation: The University of Queensland, School of Population Health, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Natalia M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jayne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lucke
authors.forename: Wayne D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meurk
authors.forename: Frances M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Boyle
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carter
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D003710:Demography; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005502:Food / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D011639:Public Opinion; D011640:Public Policy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult